Single plane manifold



May 31, 1960 J. B. BURNELL SINGLE PLANE MANIFOLD 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 14, 1958 II! ltii" ATTOR/VIY y 1960 J. B. BURNELL 2,938,507

SINGLE PLANE MANIFOLD Filed NOV. 14, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY May 31, 1960 J. B. BURNELL SINGLE PLANE MANIFOLD 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 14, 1958 INVENTOR. 0/0??? 3 537M632 BY ATTORNEY May 31, 1960 J. B. BURNELL SINGLE PLANE MANIFOLD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 14, 1958 United States Patent SINGLE PLANE MANIFOLD John B. Burnell, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 774,039

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-52) The invention relates to inlet manifolds for engines and has particular relation to manifolds suitable for use on marine engines for boats and other vehicles.

Practically all V-S type internal combustion engines for automotive purposes have double H type manifolds in which a pair of main distribution passages are disposed in side by side relation but one above the other. This provides good distribution of combustion fluid but it requires excessive height in the engine compartment.

If in boats the height of the engine can be reduced then the deck elevation can be reduced, toward the end of providing a lower profile and center of gravity for the entire structure. Nevertheless it is necessary to provide good distribution of combustion fluid to the several cylinders of the engine and toward this end it is proposed to provide a manifold all passages of which are in the same or substantially in the same plane and between parallel or substantially parallel upper and lower walls. It has been found that this can be done if proper distribution zones are provided and if ram pipes are connected to these distribution zones in such a way that the fluid delivered to the different cylinders will not be excessively restricted. It is proposed to provide a manifold including a main distribution passage or plenum chamber, a pair of distribution zones at the ends of the passages or chamber and ram pipes that project outwardly in opposite directions to the cylinders in the rows of cylinders of the engine. It is proposed to so proportion the various parts of the structure that the distribution of the combustion fluid to all of the cylinders will be substantially the same at all engine speeds and throughout each complete cycle of the engine.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevational View of a V-type internal combustion engine having a charge forming device including a manifold embracing the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the manifold and the four barrel carburetor embodied in the structure disclosed by Figure 1. Parts of the structure are broken away to better illustrate the diiferent features of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the inlet manifold embodied in the structure disclosed by the preceding figures with parts of the structure broken away and shown in cross section.

Figures 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken substantially in the planes of lines 4-4 and 5-5 on Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 except illustrating a manifold for a carburetor such as a single or multiple barrel carburetor having the supply passage means for the manifold in a position mid-way between the ends of the plenum chamber of the manifold.

The engine 10 embodying the invention is a V-type engine having rows of cylinders 11 on opposite sides of a vertical plan intersecting the axis of rotation of the crankshaft of the engine. The engine 10 has an inlet ice manifold 12 and a carburetor 13 comprising a charge forming device 14 supplying combustion fluid for operating the engine 10. The manifold 12 may consist of a support 16 having passage means 17 formed therein for conducting combustion fluid to the inlet passages 18 leading to the cylinders forming the rows of cylinders 11 of the engine 10. In the structure disclosed by Figures 1 to 5, where a four barrel carburetor 13 is employed, it is proposed to provide inlet means 19 leading to a plenum chamber 21 extending lengthwise of the engine 10 between the rows of cylinders 11. The four barrel carburetor 13 disclosed may be a compound carburetor having primary and secondary passages opening successively as the speed of the engine 10 increases. The primary passages, which open at lower speeds are adapted to communicate with primary inlet means 23, in the present instance providing a pair of passages disposed transversely of the plenum chamber 21 and connected to the plenum chamber 21 between the ends of the plenum chamber 21. The secondary passages, which are not designed to supply combustion fluid to the engine at low engine speeds, also are adapted to communicate with secondary inlet means 22 providing another pair of pasages disposed transversely of the plenum chamber 21 and connected to the plenum chamber 21 between the ends of the plenum chamber 21. The ends of the plenum chamber 21 are adapted to communicate with oppositely disposed pairs 24 of ram pipes 26 which are adapted to supply combustion fluid to the inlet passages 18 of the end cylinders of each row of cylinders 11 of the engine 10. The ram pipes 26 are substantially equal in length, are substantially uniform in cross section throughout the length thereof and otherwise are substantially identical. The ram pipes 26 also are substantially parallel in each pair of ram pipes 24 and are aligned with ram pipes in opposite pairs 24 at each end of the plenum chamber 21. Distribution zones 27 at each end of the plenum chamber 21 are adapted uniformly to supply combustion fluid to the ram pipes 26 in the pairs of ram pipes 24 communicating therewith.

The manifold 12 embraces upper walls 28 and lower Walls 29, the oppositely disposed parts of which are substantially planar and parallel and uniformly spaced throughout the extent of the plenum chamber 21, the distribution zones 27 and the ram pipes 26. The side walls 31 between which the plenum chamber 21, the distribution zones 27 and the pairs of ram pipes 24 are formed also are substantially planar and parallelon opposite sides of said chamber, zones and passages and are disposed substantially normally to the upper and lower walls 28 and 29, respectively, substantially throughout the extent of said chamber, zones and passages. Partition walls 32 separate the ram pipes 26 in the several pairs of ram pipes 24.

The zones 27 are substantially as long and as wide as the pairs of ram pipes 24 extend lengthwise of the engine and are substantially as deep as the inlet ends of the pairs of ram pipes 24 are deep. The plenum chamber 21 is at least as wide throughout the entire length thereof as the width of the zones 27. It is considered preferable that all of the inlet means 19 shall communicate through the upper wall 28 with the part of the plenum chamber 21 extending between the distribution zones 27.

It may be desirable to heat the manifold 12. In such event a heating passage 33 may be provided. The heating passage 33 may extend to any desired extent around the passage means 17 included in the manifold 12 although in the present instance the heating is limited to the lower wall of the manifold 29 immediately below the inlet means 19 in the upper wall 28.

In the structure disclosed by Figure 6 it is proposed to is t form the upper wall 28 of the manifold in such a way as to provide only the inlet means 25 and disposed midway between the ends of the plenum chamber 21 and thezones 27 .of the manifold. lAnynumber of such passa'gemeansZS may be .providedlin the structure disclosed by figure 2, the carburetor 3'4 being provided with suitable barrels :for supplying the passage means 25 regardless of the number .of passages.

groups .of substantially -identicaliram pipes being formed a between spaced upper and lower and substantially plane and parallel walls o'ftsaid manifold, each group of said ram pipes providing pairs of closely spaced and parallel rampipes with one of said pairs being connected to each s ide of said plenum chamberand extending substantially normally from said plenum chamber toward the cylinders at the ends of said "rows, said plenum chamber at said inlet vends of said pairs being formed to provide combustion fluid distribution zones substantially as long andias wide asthe width of said pairs and substantially as .deep .as said inlet ,ends of said vpairs, said plenum chamber leading to said zones being at least as wide and as deep as said zones,,said inlet ends of said ram pipes in said pairs on opposite sides and at the sameends of said plenum chamber extending oppositely and being substantially aligned across said distribution zones at said opposite ends of said plenum chamber.

2. An intake manifold for an internal combustion engine having parallel rows of cylinders on opposite sides of said engine, saidvmanifold being formed to provide an elongated plenum chambeer adapted to be disposed lengthwise between said rows of cylinders and groups'of substantially identical ram pipes connected in side by side relation at opposite ends of .said plenum chamber, said elongated plenum chamber and the inlet ends of said groups of substantially identical ram pipes being formed between spacedupper andlower-and substantially plane and parallel walls of said manifold, each group of said ram pipes providing pairsrof'closely "spaced and parallel ram pipes with one of said pairs being connected to each side of said plenum chamber and extending substantially normally from said plenum chamber'toward the'cylinders at the ends of said rows, said plenum chamber at said inlet ends of said pairs being formed to provide combustion fluid distribution zones substantially as long and as wide as the width of said pairs and substantially as deep as said inlet ends of said pairs, said plenum chamber leading to said zones being at leastas wideandas deep as said zones and between said zones being of a length at least as great as the length of said zones, and ;inletlmeans for-said manifold, said inlet means being connected :to said plenum chamber between said zones,'said walls of said manifold being formed to restrict the flow ofsaidcombustion fluid to said cylinders to passage means extending through said inlet means and said plenum chamber between said distributton zones and said distribution zones and said ram pipes.

3. An intake manifold for an internal combustion engine having parallel rows of cylinders on opposite sides of said engine, said manifold 'being'formed to provide "an elongated plenum chamber'adapted'to bedisposed lengthwise between said rows of cylinders and groups of substantially identical ram pipes connected :in side by side relation at opposite ends of said plenum chamber, said elongated plenum chamberand the inlet ends of said groups of substantiallyfidenticalrampipes be'iiug formed between spaced upper and lower and substantially plane and parallel walls of ;said manifold, each group of said ram pipes providing pairs of closely spaced and parallel ram pipes with one of said pairs being :connected to each side of said plenum chamber and extending substantially normally from said plenum chamber toward the cylinders at the ends of said rows, ,said plenum chamber at said inlet ends of 'said'pairs being .formed to provide combustion fluid distribution zonessubstantially as long andas wide as the width of said pairs and substantially as deep as said'inlet ends ofsaidpairs, said plenum chamberjleading 'to said zones'being 'atleastas wide and as deep as said zones, said plenum chamber between said zones being of a length at least as great as the length of said zones, and primary and secondaryvinlet means for said manifold, said primary and secondary inlet means both being connected to said plenum chamberbetween said zones. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN LEATENTS 779,547 GreatBIit-ain --.J July'24, .1957 

